diff --git a/src/core/devices/nm-device.c b/src/core/devices/nm-device.c
index a03de14bca..c01f2faa73 100644
--- a/src/core/devices/nm-device.c
+++ b/src/core/devices/nm-device.c
@@ -6639,6 +6639,8 @@ carrier_changed(NMDevice *self, gboolean carrier)
     }
 
     if (carrier) {
+        gboolean recheck_auto_activate = FALSE;
+
         if (priv->state == NM_DEVICE_STATE_UNAVAILABLE) {
             nm_device_queue_state(self,
                                   NM_DEVICE_STATE_DISCONNECTED,
@@ -6649,8 +6651,18 @@ carrier_changed(NMDevice *self, gboolean carrier)
              * when the carrier appears, auto connections are rechecked for
              * the device.
              */
-            nm_device_recheck_auto_activate_schedule(self);
+            recheck_auto_activate = TRUE;
         }
+        if (nm_manager_devcon_autoconnect_blocked_reason_set(
+                nm_device_get_manager(self),
+                self,
+                NULL,
+                NM_SETTINGS_AUTOCONNECT_BLOCKED_REASON_FAILED,
+                FALSE))
+            recheck_auto_activate = TRUE;
+
+        if (recheck_auto_activate)
+            nm_device_recheck_auto_activate_schedule(self);
     } else {
         if (priv->state == NM_DEVICE_STATE_UNAVAILABLE) {
             if (priv->queued_state.id && priv->queued_state.state >= NM_DEVICE_STATE_DISCONNECTED)
diff --git a/src/core/nm-manager.c b/src/core/nm-manager.c
index 3eee169cee..55f7bd7b35 100644
--- a/src/core/nm-manager.c
+++ b/src/core/nm-manager.c
@@ -5622,6 +5622,62 @@ active_connection_parent_active(NMActiveConnection *active,
     unmanaged_to_disconnected(device);
 }
 
+static gboolean
+_check_autoconnect_port(NMActiveConnection   *active,
+                        NMSettingsConnection *master_connection,
+                        NMDevice             *master_device,
+                        NMActiveConnection   *master_ac)
+{
+    NMSettingConnection *s_con;
+    NMDevice            *device;
+
+    if (nm_active_connection_get_activation_reason(active) != NM_ACTIVATION_REASON_AUTOCONNECT) {
+        /* This is an explicit activation. Proceed. */
+        return TRUE;
+    }
+
+    if (!master_connection) {
+        /* This is not a port. Proceed. */
+        return TRUE;
+    }
+
+    device = nm_active_connection_get_device(active);
+
+    if (!nm_device_is_real(device)) {
+        /* The device is not real. We don't know about the carrier. Proceed. */
+        return TRUE;
+    }
+
+    if (nm_device_get_ifindex(device) <= 0) {
+        /* The device has no ifindex. It has no concept of carrier. Proceed. */
+        return TRUE;
+    }
+
+    if (nm_device_has_carrier(device)) {
+        /* The device has carrier. Proceed. */
+        return TRUE;
+    }
+
+    s_con = nm_settings_connection_get_setting(master_connection, NM_META_SETTING_TYPE_CONNECTION);
+
+    if (nm_setting_connection_get_autoconnect(s_con)) {
+        /* The controller profile has autoconnect enabled. Here we want to honor
+         * "ignore-carrier=no", which -- as configuration -- only makes sense for
+         * controllers that have autoconnect disable. Proceed. */
+        return TRUE;
+    }
+
+    if (nm_config_data_get_ignore_carrier_for_port(
+            NM_CONFIG_GET_DATA,
+            nm_setting_connection_get_interface_name(s_con),
+            nm_setting_connection_get_connection_type(s_con))) {
+        /* We ignore carrier on the master (as we would do by default). Proceed. */
+        return TRUE;
+    }
+
+    return FALSE;
+}
+
 static gboolean
 _internal_activate_device(NMManager *self, NMActiveConnection *active, GError **error)
 {
@@ -5702,6 +5758,18 @@ _internal_activate_device(NMManager *self, NMActiveConnection *active, GError **
         return FALSE;
     }
 
+    if (!_check_autoconnect_port(active, master_connection, master_device, master_ac)) {
+        /* Usually, port and controller devices can (auto)connect without carrier. However,
+         * the controller has "ignore-carrier=no" configured. If the port autoconnects,
+         * has no carrier and the controller has ignore-carrier=no, then autoconnect
+         * is going to fail. */
+        g_set_error(error,
+                    NM_MANAGER_ERROR,
+                    NM_MANAGER_ERROR_DEPENDENCY_FAILED,
+                    "port has no carrier and controller does not ignore carrier");
+        return FALSE;
+    }
+
     /* Create any backing resources the device needs */
     if (!nm_device_is_real(device)) {
         NMDevice *parent;